Automatic Griddle Bakes Three Fluffy Flapjacks a Minute (Oct, 1930)

Automatic Griddle Bakes Three Fluffy Flapjacks a Minute

A FLAPJACK griddle that is entirely automatic in action has recently been placed on the market by a Los Angeles firm. Batter for five hundred cakes may be placed in the tank, after which it is only necessary to turn on the switch and carry away the cakes.
Batter is fed to the grid by an automatic process, making the cakes uniform in size. The aluminum griddle, which requires no grease, revolves just fast enough to bake the cakes on one revolution. Half way around, the flapjacks are automatically flipped over, and when the circle is completed they are lifted off and placed on a plate which is held by a rack on the side.

The heat is controlled by a thermostat, thus saving electricity and insuring that the cakes are cooked to the proper turn. The manufacturers even furnish a prepared flour to which it is only necessary to add water to make light, fluffy cakes.

Jayessell: The closest thing I can think of is the automatic flour-tortilla machine at Chevy’s restaurants. It produces dough, rolls a ball, flattens that, and cooks the tortilla. Not exactly the same, but it’s definitely a more complex machine.

Mcubstead says: April 23, 20113:17 pm

Reading it carefully, The secret is It uses a water only pancake mix. So why would you need this thing? How could your cooks labor rate be so hi that this contraption would be cheaper than having some one add water and dump it out on a griddle. Pancakes take little / no skill to cook.

Mike says: April 23, 20116:42 pm

I remember going to a Denny’s once and discovered they didn’t actually turn the pancake over on the grill, they let it cook on one side, and flipped it over when they put it on your plate.

spacecoyote says: April 24, 201112:52 pm

Looks like a big toilet.

xritl says: April 24, 20118:32 pm

Latest feature of the Holiday Inn Express is a self-serve pancake machine. It’s basically a conveyor belt oven with a bag of batter in the top.